Mocked and Crucified

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Mark 15:16-32

Mark 15:20

And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.

(ESV)

During this time of isolation and sheltering at home due to a microscopic virus, there are many things we will never take for granted again, like being able to regularly attend church and associate with other brothers and sisters in Christ.  One valuable lesson this crisis has taught is how quickly the things we take for granted in daily life can cause anxiety, despair, and even devastation when taken away from us.  Less than a week before the events recorded in Mark 15:16-32 where the Roman soldiers mock and crucify Jesus, we see Jesus triumphantly entering Jerusalem (Mark 11:1-11).  Jesus can relate to seeing good times become a time of suffering and isolation in only five days and yet willingly endured the suffering knowing it was God’s will for his life and that there would be a resurrection in three days.  This is why Jesus could confidently pray for God’s will to be done in His life (Mark 14:36).  God’s plans for our lives are also plans designed for our good and not our destruction (Jeremiah 29:11), even though it may not appear so at the time, making it possible for us to confidently surrender to God’s will for our lives.   

Jesus is our substitute and suffered God’s wrath and judgment so we never have to, but we can take God’s grace for granted just as we have many things removed from our lives during the coronavirus crisis.  Therefore, let us take a moment to imagine ourselves in Jesus’ place to gain a greater appreciation of His grace extended to us. 

1)      Mocking worship (Mark 15:17-18) – The charge against Jesus was “The King of the Jews.” (Mark 15:26).  These Roman soldiers were most likely not Jewish and soldiers that pledged their loyalty to Caesar as king.  Before coming to the governor’s headquarters, Jesus had been scourged (Mark 15:15) so their worship was mocking one professing to be a king appearing weak and beaten.  However, Jesus knew he was the Son of God and King of the Jews and that he would demonstrate his authority and the power of God by rising from the dead in three days.  We too can endure mockery by having confidence in the power of God within us (Romans 8:11) and the glorious hope of eternity with Christ (Revelation 21:1-8).  People may mock us for our faith during this time but we, like Jesus, have confidence knowing we have the resurrection power of the Spirit of the Lord within us and a glorious future with the Lord (Revelation 21:1-8; Romans 8:11). 

2)      Pain and weakness (Mark 15:15, 19, 21) -  After suffering a scourging at the hands of the Roman soldiers, the soldiers place a crown of thorns on the head of Jesus and to inflict maximum pain, strike Jesus’ head with a read.  Anyone who has hit their head can attest to the pain as our heads have many sensory nerves causing us to feel pain.  Increased blood flow to the brain also causes any cut to the head to bleed profusely such as a crown of thorns causing many cuts to one’s head.  The blood loss from the scourging and crown of thorns beaten into His head is why Jesus was weak and needed help carrying the cross (Mark 15:21).  This pain and weakness is the cup of wrath Jesus prayed God would take away from him in the garden but thankfully for us, Jesus agreed to endure the cup of wrath (Mark 14:36) so we do not have to.  This does not mean life will not come with trials but that we can face these trials with confidence knowing Jesus has overcome our penalty of death and separation from God on the cross (John 16:33).  Like Jesus, our current pain and weakness is temporary and will disappear when we are resurrected to newness of life at the return of Jesus (Romans 6:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). 

3)      Public humiliation (Mark 15:29-32) – Mocked by the soldiers, weakened and in pain from blood loss due to scourging and a crown of thorns, Jesus is now publicly humiliated.  Passersby mock Jesus, possibly some of the same people who just a few days earlier had praised Jesus as he entered the city (Mark 11:1-11).  Many of these individuals had unrealistic expectations, believing Jesus would walk into Jerusalem and overthrow their Roman oppressors.  However, instead of overthrowing their Roman oppressors, Jesus goes to the Temple and overthrows the tables of the moneychangers (Mark 11:15-19).  However, their unrealistic expectations were based on a lack of understanding from scripture that the Messiah must first suffer and die for the sins of humanity to fulfill the legal requirement of atonement for sins (Isaiah 53; Psalm 22).  This crisis started with officials telling people to be prepared for two weeks of sheltering in place to prevent the spread of the disease, only to have the date extended numerous times.  Continual delays have caused delays in the expectation of a return to a normal life with many losing jobs, retirement savings, and their businesses becoming restless and peacefully protesting their governors to begin reopening their states.  While some of these governors are abusing their newly discovered power, some may also be looking at data not available to the rest of us and making their decisions out of concern for the safety of the citizens of their states.  Please pray that the protests remain peaceful and safe and that governors do not abuse their power. 

These are unusual times not unlike the times in Jerusalem in the time of Christ.  Times over the previous three years were full of promise with a booming economy and a belief their dreams would come true with many over the last two months seeing these dreams disappear.  Many following Jesus believed their lives would restore a good life based upon seeing the many miracles Jesus performed.  However, God’s plan was for the forgiveness of their sins through the shed blood of Christ.  While this crisis surprised us, God knew it was coming and has a plan to get us through the crisis.  I encourage everyone reading this to remain safe and strong in their faith in the Lord through this crisis.    

A Pattern for Prayer in a Time of Struggle and Affliction

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Psalm 102

Psalm 102:2

Do not hide your face from me
    in the day of my distress!
Incline your ear to me;
    answer me speedily in the day when I call!

(ESV)

Technology has made our lives more convenient and in this time of isolation due to social distancing, has made it possible to connect with others.  While connecting through technology is beneficial during these challenging times, it will be great when we can connect face-to-face once again because we all need that physical connection to maintain our spiritual and mental health.  During the outbreak of the coronavirus, social distancing helped protect the physical health of people, especially those most vulnerable but the price of this physical distancing could be the mental and spiritual health of individuals.  To preserve the physical, mental, and spiritual health of individuals we must ensure social distancing and isolation do not become the new normal and instead something done to protect the physical health of individuals when threatened by some global virus and then returning to physical interaction when it is safe. 

The author of Psalm 102 is unknown with some believing it could be David and written after the rebellion of Absalom.  Others believe the author may be Daniel or Nehemiah and written during the time the Israelites were returning from exile.  Regardless of the author, the main theme of the Psalm is a prayer of one afflicted pouring out his complaint to the Lord.  Some of those reading this can relate to doing some complaining during this time.  However, we never imagined a time when the law forbids us from attending a sporting event, concert, or weekly church services.  Once again, we can thank the Lord for technology allowing us to still worship the Lord and hear teaching from the Bible via the internet and social media.  We never imagined not being able to go out to a restaurant with friends or family and enjoy a meal with eating out now relegated to a drive-thru or pick-up and limited to only those we live with.  Hospitals have canceled elective surgeries forcing individuals to live in pain and even placing some at risk who need procedures to restore a healthier life deemed non-life-threatening because they are still healthy, at least for the time being.  Okay enough complaining, let us take a moment to look at Psalm 102 for it contains a model of prayer for people afflicted as many are today

The Psalm 102 model parallels the model Jesus provided in the Lord's prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) and worthy of a comparative study.   These two models of prayer remind us that when praying we must,

1)      Reach out to God (Matthew 6:9-10; Psalm 102:1-2) – Desperation can accompany affliction and cause us to cry out to God in a complaining manner without us realizing who we are talking with.  It is natural when afflicted and desperate to immediately begin complaining and presenting our case to God.  However, these models of prayer remind us of the need to reach out to God and more importantly remembering who it is we are reaching out to.  Jesus teaches us to begin with calling on the Father in Heaven holding His name in high esteem, remembering the coming kingdom of God, and desiring God’s will be done (Matthew 6:9-10).  Similarly, the psalmist begins by asking the Lord to hear his prayer and not hide his face from him in his day of distress (Psalm 102:1-2).  Similarly, the psalmist acknowledges the eternal kingdom of God (Psalm 102:12) and the day when all the nations of the earth will fear the name of the Lord and fear His glory (Psalm 102:15).  While launching into lodging our complaints are natural, it is better to take a moment to meditate on the glorious future each believer in Christ has (Revelation 21:1-8).  This resets our perspective from one of desperation at our affliction to a perspective of the temporary nature of our afflictions and a glorious, bright, and eternal future.

2)      Presenting our case to the Lord (Matthew 6:11-12; Psalm 102:3-11) – From this godly perspective, we are now ready to present our case to the Lord.  The psalmist goes into great detail about his affliction which leads to some believing this is either a psalm of David during the time of Absalom’s rebellion or a psalm of the affliction of one in exile desiring deliverance (Psalm 102:3-11).  Jesus teaches us to pray for God to provide for our daily needs encouraging an attitude of daily dependence on God to provide what we need (Matthew 6:11).  This reminder is especially important at this time for many of us are sheltered in our homes, wondering if we will have a job, be able to retire or even be able to gather with others in worship, leading to complaining.  Instead, the model of the Lord’s prayer reminds us to depend on God to meet our daily needs just as he did for Israel in the wilderness (Nehemiah 9:18-21).  Jesus also stressed the importance of forgiveness and a repentant heart when praying (Matthew 6:11-12) for sin and unforgiveness in our hearts hinders our prayers (Mark 11:24-25). 

3)      Acknowledging God’s power in our affliction (Matthew 6:13; Psalm 102:12-28) – Our despair in times of struggle stems from our coming to grips with our inability to solve whatever is causing the struggle.  Most of us have no idea how to solve the problem of the coronavirus unless we happen to be a healthcare professional or researcher working on the problem but even they have no idea how to specifically solve the problem of this new strain of virus.  As we continue social-distancing from others and shelter in our homes, we can become impatient mentally and lose our spirit while protecting our physical health.  However, the Spirit of the Lord does not need to social distance and has the power to get us through this crisis for it is the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead (2 Corinthians 3:17; Romans 8:11).  God has the power to get us through this crisis. 

By gaining a Godly perspective, presenting our case to the Lord with repentant and forgiving hearts, and faith in the power of God to deliver us from any crisis, we can avoid despair in a time of affliction and struggle.  However, to gain a Godly perspective, one must ask Jesus into their hearts through professing a belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  If you have not done this, please pray with me now,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

We will get through this but not without moments of frustration and even despair.  I urge everyone reading this to stay safe and strong.  May God bless everyone reading this. 

Jesus, Our Substitute

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Mark 15:1-15

Mark 15:15

So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged^[a] Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

(ESV)

The wheels of justice in nations like the United States where everyone has a right to due process, move slow and can be frustrating at times.  This is especially true for victims of crimes that must wait for due process to play out before receiving closure.  While slick defense attorneys playing the system can unnecessarily drag out the process, the main purpose of the slowness of the process is an opportunity for presentation of all the evidence to ensure an innocent person is not unduly convicted of a crime.  However, the case for Jesus as presented in Mark 15:1-15 records an innocent person purposely offering himself up for crimes he did not commit by not offering a defense so he can become a substitute, taking the death penalty for guilty individuals choosing to accept His acquittal.  Barabbas is the first of many to experience this acquittal. 

The main accusation the chief priests, elders, and scribes had against Jesus was his answer to the high priest's question, “are you the Christ, the son of the blessed.” (Mark 14:61).  Jesus provides an honest answer by stating “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62).  This is an honest answer but not the answer the high priest wanted to hear for it meant there was one of higher spiritual authority standing in front of him and the end of the spiritual control the religious elite of Jesus’ time had over others. 

The scenario played out in Mark 15:1-15 has similarities to what occurs in a court in the United States today.  Jesus’ accusers deliver Jesus to Pilate and Pilate presents the charges to Jesus and asks how he pleads (Mark 15:1-2).  Jesus does not come out and claim to be the King of the Jews, but instead tells Pilate he has said so.  Pilate did not specifically come out and accuse Jesus of being the King of the Jews with his response, but Jesus' response may have made him pause to wonder if that was how Jesus and those accusing Jesus perceived what he thought about Jesus and the events transpiring before his eyes.  Absent a definite guilty plea, the trial proceedings go on as they typically do in court and the accusers present their case to which Pilate asks Jesus again how he will answer his accusations (Mark 15:4).  However, this time, instead of presenting a defense as typically occurs in a court proceeding, Jesus remains silent offering no defense.  The unusualness of a defendant offering no defense amazed Pilate (Mark 15:5). 

However, Pilate has one way to get out of the pickle he finds himself in, the power to pardon one accused as was his custom during Passover (Mark 15:6).  Knowing there was a murderer, Barabbas, awaiting execution in jail (Mark 15:7), Pilate asks if they wanted him to pardon Jesus, believing Jesus was being falsely accused out of envy (Mark 15:10).  However, instead of asking for the release of Jesus, the chief priests stir up the crowd to ask for Barabbas the murderer.  Perhaps further amazed, Pilate then asks what he should do with Jesus, the King of the Jews to which the crowd calls for him to crucify Jesus (Mark 15:12-13).  Now believing the crowd calling for the crucifixion of one not accused of a capital crime under Roman law would reduce the harsh sentence they wanted to bring against Jesus, Pilate asks the crowd what evil Jesus has done.  However, the crowd is adamant about their call for the crucifixion of Jesus, to which Pilate releases Barabbas to avoid a riotous mob.

However, this trial is unique for the defendant, Jesus is not seeking acquittal from the death sentence for Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 foretold of Messiah suffering this type of death.  Jesus is not your typical innocent person undergoing trial for a crime he did not commit but a person with a mission as the Lamb of God (John 1:29) to offer Himself for the sins of humanity.  Jesus is the promised savior of Genesis 3:15, the one that died for the sins of humanity even though he committed no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21).  The temptation of Jesus was Satan’s first attempt to tempt Jesus into not going through the agony of the cross (Matthew 4:1-11).  Jesus even asked the Father to let the cup of wrath pass from him but then surrendered to God’s will (Matthew 26:39).  As the Lamb of God, Jesus is the substitutionary lamb of sacrifice for sin that provides redemption from sin with Barabbas the first beneficiary. 

Like Barabbas, we too can become beneficiaries of the substitutionary death of Jesus for our sins by professing our belief in the substitutionary death and burial of Jesus and enjoy newness of life by sharing in the resurrection of Christ.  If you are reading this and have not become a beneficiary of the substitutionary death of Jesus, I invite you to do so now for we all have sinned (Romans 3:23) and are under a sentence of death (Romans 6:23), but Jesus stands ready to die for sinners even though he did not sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 5:8).  Please pray with me now to claim the substitutionary death of Christ for your sin,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

God’s love for us is so extensive that He willingly sacrificed His son to die and provide forgiveness for our sins (John 3:16).  Jesus’ resurrection means that not only do we have legal forgiveness of sin but a future of newness of life demonstrated by the resurrection of Christ.  May God bless everyone reading this post, may we all be safe in this crisis, and may everyone reading this claim newness of life by claiming the substitutionary death of Christ for their sin. 

Thankfulness for God’s Enduring Love

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Psalm 100

Psalm 100:5

For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.

(ESV)

In the United States, we celebrate Thanksgiving Day in November.  Historically, this is a day commemorating a time when the pilgrims paused to give thanks to God for a bountiful harvest after previously suffering from a time of famine.  While it is nice to take one day each year to commemorate this historic event, the giving of thanks to God should be a normal reaction for Christians.  This is easy to do when times are good and there are many good circumstances to be thankful about but the real test is can we be thankful to God in a struggle and crisis by knowing His steadfast love is enduring and God is faithful to all generations (Psalm 100:5).

Chris Tomlin recorded a remake of his popular song “How Great is our God” called the world edition where people sing the chorus in their languages.  As you listen to this video clip of the song you may not understand what the singers are saying with it sounding like noise but this is not noise to the Lord and instead, an offering of praise.  The psalmist is not asking for the planet to make a joyful noise unto the Lord but the people of the earth.  What struck me as I watched the video were the clips of people living in poverty lifting their hands in praise to God.  Seeing this makes me wonder why I may complain at times about my problems when these people struggle to survive daily but can still praise the Lord.  The psalmist tells us that God’s people are to be thankful to God because,

1)      The Lord God made us (Psalm 100:3) – We are the creation of God and even though we rebelled against God, we are dearly loved by Him for God banished Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden with the promise of a savior to restore the relationship God had with humanity before the fall (Genesis 3:15).  Therefore, a belief in God as the creator is foundational to faith in God for, without knowledge of God as creator, we would have reason to question why God would even take an interest in humanity.  If we are just products of evolution then God could just throw us under the bus and wait for the next evolutionary event, hoping these beings will be more obedient.  However, we are creations of God and dearly loved by Him.  The biblical narrative is not a set of rules which God uses to pass judgment upon humanity but the narrative of a love story of a loving God who paid a high price to redeem the creation He loves. 

2)      We were redeemed at a high price (1 Corinthians 15:1, 3-4) – Unlike the author of Genesis and the subsequent books of the Old Testament, we have hindsight and know that the promised redeemer of Genesis 3:15 is God’s only son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16).  In addition to the foundation of God as creator, we must have a foundation of understanding the high price of our redemption, the death of God’s Son.  All humanity is guilty of sin (Romans 3:23) and been sentenced to death for their sins (Romans 6:23).  However, before carrying out the sentence of death, a substitute, Jesus Christ, came on the scene and took the sentence upon himself, even though He never sinned (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 5:8).  God has paid a high price for our redemption and provided the gift of salvation, a gift we did not earn, but a gift given out of love (Ephesians 2:8-9).  However, we cannot enjoy the gift unless we unwrap it by professing a belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Romans 10:9-10).   

3)      We are the children of God (1 John 3:1-3) – I am blessed to have been raised in a good, although not perfect, Christian home.  For others reading this, thoughts of home as a child may be a nightmare of physical, mental, and emotional abuse.  However, when we accept the gift of salvation offered by God through Jesus Christ, we have adoption into the family of God (Romans 8:12-17).  As children of God, we are heirs with Christ with the condition that we suffer with him to receive glorification with him (Romans 8:17).  This condition of suffering with him means not all humanity are children of God enjoying adoption and inheritance with God but only those choosing to accept the gift of salvation offered by God through Christ.  When we accept Christ we are joining in his death and burial, but also the reward of his resurrection (1 John 3:1-3). 

4)      We are sheep of the Good Shepherd’s pasture (John 10:11-18) – Jesus tells us in John 10:11 that He is the good shepherd.  While few of those reading this may relate to the life of a shepherd, those hearing Jesus were either shepherds or had frequent encounters with shepherds and sheep.  Sheep are defenseless animals who need someone to protect them from carnivores like wolves that see them as their next meal.  We also live in a dangerous world which is obvious for most reading this during the time of the coronavirus pandemic.  It is times like this that challenges our faith.  Will we cower in fear or will we place our trust in God to get us through this crisis and meet our needs.  My prayer is that those reading this will place their trust in the good shepherd, Jesus, knowing that as our good shepherd, He is standing watch over us against enemies trying to destroy, including a microscopic virus.  I encourage those reading this that have extra time due to sheltering at home to take the time to binge on God and His Word. 

Even in this crisis, it is crucial to remain thankful to God, not for the crisis but for creating us, redeeming us, adopting us, and protecting us.  If you are reading this and have never accepted God’s free gift of redemption through Christ, I encourage you to do so now by praying with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

For those reading this that have a personal relationship with God through Christ, take this time of crisis to binge on God by spending time studying and meditating on the Bible, the Word of God and in prayer.  We should be offering constant prayers for those affected by the crisis, those on the front lines serving those affected by the crisis, those providing essential services, and our leaders that they lead according to sound Godly counsel.  My prayer is that everyone reading this post stays safe and draws closer to God during this crisis. 

Ungodly Decisions Motivated by Fear

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Mark 14:66-72

Mark 14:72

And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

(ESV)

During this time of world war against an unseen virus, it is important to pray for our leaders as they face unprecedented decisions.  With the dire numbers predicted by the models earlier this month falling far short due to measures such as social distancing and shelter-in-place orders, world leaders face a new set of decisions, when to safely reopen their countries and communities.  President Trump touts this as the biggest decision he has ever made.  (1)  President Trump’s feelings are no doubt shared by governors and local leaders in the United States as well as leaders all over the world.  Like decisions made during wartime, people’s lives are in the balance and a reminder of why we are to pray for our leader’s so they lead us in peace (1 Timothy 2:1-4). 

During these times of sheltering in place, it becomes easy to identify introverts or those happy to be alone and extroverts who seek to be around others.  Introverts are most likely using the time to find things to do around the house without the interruption of extroverts in their lives vying for their attention.  Extroverts are stressed out at not being able to be with others and most likely are the ones on social media connecting with friends and family and eagerly awaiting the time when they can be with friends and family again.  As Christians, we can have hope knowing that the same Jesus who conquered death has the power to conquer the coronavirus and we will once again be able to be with our friends and family. 

Peter has spent three and one-half years following Jesus.  During this time, he would have witnessed the many miracles performed by Jesus including the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus, a precursor to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (John 11:38-44).  Peter was privileged to be one of the three to witness the transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1-13).  Emboldened by what he had seen during his time with Jesus, Peter declares that he would never deny Jesus at the last supper (Mark 14:27-29; 31).  However, when a time of testing came as recorded in Mark 14:66-72, we see Peter holding back, cowering in fear, and denying Jesus three times.  This change in Peter leads to the question, what happened between the time of Peter’s declaration of loyalty to Jesus and his denial,  The answer is the betrayal and arrest of Jesus (Mark 14:43-50). 

The fact that Peter fell asleep while Jesus prayed indicated he did not truly understand the gravity of what was about to occur (Mark 14:32-42).  However, when he witnessed a throng of soldiers and representatives from the chief priests, scribes, and elders along with Judas coming and arrest Jesus, reality may have set in accompanied with fear in Peter that he too would be arrested and tried as a follower of Jesus.  Peter abandoned Jesus in the Garden but instead of running away completely, we see him lurking in the background, perhaps presuming he will be safe at a distance and possibly even witness a miracle of deliverance (Mark 14:54).  However, Peter’s feelings of safety are soon dashed as a servant girl approached him about being a follower of Jesus (Mark 14:67).  Peter denies knowing Jesus and to find safety, goes out into the gateway (Mark 14:68).  However, there is no safety here as the servant girl follows him and tells bystanders that Peter is a follower of Jesus, prompting Peter to deny Jesus for a second time (Mark 14:69).  When approached by the bystanders, Peter makes his most scathing denial, this time invoking a curse upon himself (Mark 14:70-71).  Peter’s denial of Christ illustrates what can occur in one’s life when they allow fear to govern their decisions. 

As we continue to pray for our leaders during this time of crisis, let us pray they do not make decisions based upon fear but make decisions based upon Godly wisdom and facts.  Let us pray that our leaders will pray and seek God in making important decisions regarding returning life to normal and when people can get back together and not need to live sheltered at home.  May their decisions not be based upon fear created by computer models predicting dire circumstances based upon a worst-case scenario as these models are not designed to provide definitive answers but instead provide a snapshot of what could occur.  In the case of many of the models used for coronavirus, the models are a snapshot of a worst-case scenario of what would occur with no intervention.  An intervention changing a model is illustrated by the reduction of deaths in the UK by Neil Ferguson who initially predicted 500,000 deaths in the UK and later reduced that number down to 20,000 after the implementation of interventions like social distancing and sheltering-in-place.  (2) 

Our leaders need our prayers during the coming weeks as they must balance the health of their citizens against the long-term repercussions of prolonged shutting down of their economies and the mental and spiritual health of individuals sheltered-in-place for a prolonged period.  My prayer is that leaders will cry out to God for guidance, seek and find truthful facts on both the physical, mental and spiritual health of individuals and the repercussions on societies brought upon by the slowing of their economies.  May God bless and guide our leaders and keep us safe during this time. 

1. Michael Ruiz, Samuel Chamberlain. Trump announces second task force on reopening economy as he weighs 'biggest decision'. www.fixnews.com. [Online] Fox News, April 11, 2020. [Cited: April 12, 2020.] https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-coronavirus-reopening-economy-task-force.

2. Tufekci, Zeynep. Don’t Believe the COVID-19 Models: That's not What They're for. www.theatlantic.com. [Online] The Atlantic, April 2, 2020. [Cited: April 12, 2020.] https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2020/04/coronavirus-models-arent-supposed-be-right/609271/.

Isolated but Not Forsaken

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Psalm 94

Psalm 94:14-15

    For the Lord will not forsake his people;
    he will not abandon his heritage;
¹⁵ for justice will return to the righteous,
    and all the upright in heart will follow it.

(ESV)

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday and the first Easter in the history of the United States where most churches have shut down and are unable to have regular Easter services.  However, many churches will be having services online and I encourage everyone to invite others, especially those that do not know Jesus as their savior, inviting them to attend by sending them the link via social media, email, or text to the online service.  There are also great faith-based movies like the classics Ben Hur, The Robe, and The Greatest Story Ever Told.  There is also the Passion of the Christ although it may not be appropriate for younger audiences.  Another great movie is The Gospel of Luke which portrays the life and ministry of Jesus according to the Gospel of Luke.  While these are Hollywood productions, they do provide a visual image of what Jesus did for us on Easter and take our focus off the current coronavirus crisis and back on God. 

The main theme of Psalm 94 is Psalm 94:14, a promise God will not abandon His people.  This would have been an easy statement for the psalmist to make had it occurred during a time when things were going well, but as the previous verses tell us (Psalm 94:1-7), the psalmist makes this statement during a time when the proud and wicked are exalted.  The foolish actions of proud and arrogant people have not changed since the time of the psalmist for even in the middle of this coronavirus crisis, there are calls to impeach President Trump, and impede doctors using Hydroxychloroquine, a drug showing promise in curing some suffering from coronavirus.  These arrogant and proud actions ignore the plight of those suffering from the disease in the interest of using a crisis to advance a political agenda of hatred of President Trump and the preservation of a blotted bureaucracy that would tie the hands of medical researchers.  This would result in the deaths of thousands of people who might have been cured if medical professionals could use something to cure their patients. 

There also appear to be arrogant and proud economic leaders who see nothing wrong with shutting down the economy for a protracted period, believing that if we continue to throw money at individuals and businesses during this crisis, everything will magically be okay.  There is no such thing as economic magic for the trillions of dollars of economic stimulus money will need to be paid back in higher taxes, inflation, and increased interest payments on the national debt.  As the numbers from the crisis appear to be leveling off, it is time for the federal, state, and local governments to develop an exit strategy from this crisis to strategically open the economy back up safely.  Even the mention of the development of such a strategy should instill confidence that this crisis is temporary, and life can return to normal. 

However, the people of God have an advantage for our life is not dependent upon some governmental exit strategy instilling confidence for our confidence is in the Lord (Philippians 1:6; Proverbs 14:26; Psalms 118:8).  This is more than an empty temporary hope that stirs the emotions during a crisis but a real hope in God who loves His people and came to them, dying for their sins (Romans 5:8).  However, the power of this hope does not stop there for it is a hope bringing eternal life (John 3:16) in a world free from crisis, sickness, and death (Revelation 21:1-4).    

The psalmist in Psalm 94 ends the psalm with a declaration of the Lord as his stronghold and refuge.  My prayer for everyone reading this is that they too will seek refuge in the stronghold of a personal relationship with God during this crisis.  Fear is not from God (2 Timothy 1:7) therefore, decisions made in fear are usually not decisions made based on Godly principles.  The context of 2 Timothy 1:7 is an instruction by Paul to Timothy regarding not having fear when preaching the Gospel.  The fear during the time of Paul and Timothy was fear of persecution from either Rome or Jews threatened by Christianity.  Today churches face the fear of an unseen virus that could make those attending services sick.  However, just as in the time of Paul and Timothy, the Church must ensure they are not making decisions on how to preach the Gospel out of fear but instead be wise about the health of those attending services.  Churches must also guard against those who have political power and an agenda to limit religious gatherings who may now feel empowered as they have been able to get churches to limit public gatherings.  While the limitation of these gatherings at present may make practical sense in the interest of protecting public health, the time will come when the health crisis subsides, and churches can gather together.  My prayer is that the Church remains free of fear and when it is expedient, return to regular gathering together to worship our Lord, even if some try to use fear to prevent such gatherings.    

The Church is not a building where people meet but the people attending services in that building.  As of this writing, church buildings are locked up with only staff going into them but the Church or groups of believers in Jesus Christ can still assemble using the tools of the internet, social media, texting, and email to remain connected and continue serving the Lord as His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) while carrying out the mission of spreading the Gospel (Mark 16:15) and making disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).  As the spread of coronavirus begins to level out, there is also hope government officials will begin lifting some of the social distancing restrictions, including churches once again gathering together as they did before this pandemic.  We should pray that this happens according to God’s will and in the meantime, stay connected virtually using the tools God has provided. 

If you are reading this and have not accepted Jesus as your Savior and had your sins forgiven by the sinless one who died on a cross and rose from the dead for you, I invited you to do so now by praying with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Happy Easter everyone and remember, Jesus is not dead, he has risen.  May God bless everyone reading this and please take time to share this post, declaring the good news that Jesus is no longer in the grave, He is alive. 

Tearing Down False Temples

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Mark 14: 53-65

Mark 14:58

“We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’”

(ESV)

During this time of crisis, it is good to have connectivity with others and access to news keeping us updated on events and the status of those we love that we cannot see face-to-face.  I thank God for the technology to still have worship of God and teaching from the Word of God from my pastor via a computer screen allowing us to comply with recommendations of social distancing while maintaining a connection with God.  I also thank God for connection via social media, email, texting, and even the phone to check up on friends and family.  However, I do miss the face-to-face connectivity and look forward to and will be much more appreciative of it when it returns.

There have also been many lifestyle changes due to this crisis.  In addition to churches now meeting online, sporting events are not occurring with sports channels now showing reruns of past games or showing virtual competitions.  Music artists who cannot tour due to restrictions on large gatherings now perform online.  It is also no longer possible to go out and eat in a nice restaurant with patrons relegated to ordering online and having it delivered or driving to pick it up if permitted to do so.  Finally, the most important office supply in a business is no longer paperclips or paper but hand sanitizer and soap. 

As the angry mob leads Jesus to the high priest, Peter follows at a distance (Mark 14:53-54).  Unlike us today, Peter was not practicing social distancing due to the threat of some illness but is distancing himself from Jesus out of fear of suffering the same betrayal that just happened to Jesus.  This is the same Peter who boldly stated he would never leave Jesus even if everyone else did (Mark 14:29).  Besides lifestyle changes, the current global crisis concerning coronavirus has illustrated the power fear can have over someone’s life, causing them to do things they would never have thought of doing just a few months ago.  Most of us took for granted the convenience of going to the store whenever we wanted and finding most of what we needed.  As 2020 began in the United States, the economic outlook was better than it had been at any time in most of our lives with almost full employment but now many have already lost their jobs, and many fear they will lose theirs as this crisis drags on.  The booming market meant many were building a retirement nest egg that would enable them to retire comfortably, only to see that nest egg fall apart, leaving them with the prospect of having to scale down retirement plans or continue working instead of retiring. 

One of the accusations the court assembled in Mark 14:53-65 tried unsuccessfully to place on Jesus was his mention of destroying the Temple made with hands and replacing it with one not made with hands (Mark 14:58).  They erroneously believed Jesus meant destroying the temple building when Jesus was speaking of His body which was the temple of the Holy Spirit (John 1:32-33; 2:18-21).  The angry mob consisting of the high priests, scribes, and elders in Jerusalem would regularly gather in the Temple to pray, teach, and meditate on Scripture (Mark 14:49).  However, when confronted with Jesus, the Messiah, instead of worshipping him, they accuse Him of blasphemy and sentence him to death, turning Jesus over to the Roman guards.  Instead of a faith in God who was standing before them, the high priests, scribes, and elders had faith in the routine of religious rituals performed in the Temple building with Jesus representing a threat by his claims of destroying it.    

I encourage those reading this whose life is on pause by the coronavirus to use their free time to reflect on the object of their faith.  Was your faith in God’s provision through the ability to go to a store and purchase whatever we needed or attend church in the comfort of a climate-controlled building with others face-to-face, or God as provider as we give in faith (Luke 6:38)?  Was your faith in God’s provision through a good-paying and secure job that is now either gone away in under a threat of going away or God himself (Philippians 4:19)?  Was your faith in a nest egg built through the abundant provision of God or trust in God’s daily provision (Matthew 6:11). 

While the temples of shopping convenience, gathering together to worship God in comfort, having a good-paying and secure job, and saving money to build a nest egg is not evil, they can become false temples in our lives when they replace faith in God.  As God destroys these false temples, we must replace them with the temple not made with hands, faith in Jesus Christ as our savior, provider, and the Prince of Peace when overcome with fear.  This begins with one accepting Jesus as his or her savior.  If you have never done so, I invite you to pray to accept Jesus as your savior by praying with me now,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Instead of a time of fear, my prayer is that this unprecedented time of crisis becomes a time of building faith in God, finding peace and security in a relationship with God through prayer, the study, and meditation on God’s Word, and growing closer and more supportive as a family.  While we as a church may not be able to meet in person together, shelter-at-home orders to not restrict God for His home is in our hearts.  It is crucial during this time to invest in more facetime with God.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

The Greatness of God in a Time of Crisis

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Psalm 92

Psalm 92:5

How great are your works, O Lord!
    Your thoughts are very deep!

(ESV)

Times of crisis and struggle are unfortunately part of life and something Jesus warned us would happen (John 16:33).  Even Jesus did not escape trouble but overcame the world by conquering death through His resurrection.  The fact that many of us will not be able to gather in our church services this Easter does not mean the Lord did not conquer death with Jesus’ resurrection giving hope that this unseen virus will be conquered with the Lord’s help.  Please continue to pray for our leaders, healthcare professionals, those providing our food and other necessary services during this crisis as they are on the frontlines of this war on an unseen enemy.  Most importantly, however, may we never forget the greatness of our God and draw closer to Him during this crisis. 

Psalm 92 is a psalm of praise to God for His great works.  For the Israelites alive at the time of the writing of the psalm, these great works would have included how God delivered His people from their Egyptian bondage.  During Passover each year, Jewish people remember their deliverance by God from Egyptian bondage, giving them a reason to offer praise to God.  For Christians, this time of remembrance is resurrection Sunday or Easter where God himself died for the sins of humanity and resurrected from the dead in demonstration of God’s power and greatness.  However, in a crisis like the current coronavirus crisis, it can be difficult to find anything good to praise God for.  While many of us find ourselves sheltered in place this Easter season, I encourage everyone to take time to reflect on what Jesus did for us on Calvary and offer praise to God.  This psalm reminds us that,

1)      It is good to offer praise to God (Psalm 92:1-4) – As I am writing this, I have begun to struggle with feelings of depression and even despair over feeling isolated from other brothers and sisters in Christ due to not being able to meet face-to-face during church services.  I thank God for connection with my immediate family and even face-to-face connection with co-workers as I am still able to work because my work is deemed essential.  While it is important to remain informed regarding new developments during this crisis, after prayer, I decided to limit my usual routine of listening to my regular sources of information while working and replace it with songs of praise and worship to feed my soul and spirit.  This change will reduce the immersion of my spirit and soul in the crisis and more on the transformative renewal of Worship of God and His Word.  The goodness of offering praise to God is it feeds our soul and spirit what it needs so we remain spiritually strong through any struggle or crisis.

2)      The Lord's works are great and His thoughts are deep (Psalm 92:5-9) – In a crisis and struggle, we must hit the pause button and look out at God’s wonderful creation.  Each morning as I drive to work, I head east and have the opportunity to see the sunrise.  Arizona is known for its wonderful sunrises and sunsets and I thank God for the opportunity to experience the greatness of God’s creation in the sunrise each morning.  The psalmist also reminds us that God’s thoughts are deep (Psalm 92:5).  Not only are God’s thoughts deep, but they are available to us through His Word, the Bible.  However, to unlock these truths we must hit the pause button of focus on the current crisis and struggle we are in and allow God’s Spirit to minister to us through His Word. 

3)      The Lord exalts and anoints his people (Psalm 92:10-11) – The idea of exalting someone is not common in our language today so we must go to the original writing to derive the meaning of this word in Psalms 92:10.  The word in the original Hebrew text is wat-ta-rem which means to rise, rise up or be uplifted.  In this time of global crisis, it is comforting to know that the lord uplifts and raises up His people.  Psalm 92:10 also mentions the Lord pouring fresh oil over us symbolic of God providing a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit.  From this raised up and anointed position we can see the eventual downfall of our enemies and those intending evil against us, including an unseen virus. 

4)      The Righteous flourish all the days of their lives (Psalm 92:12-15) – Those made righteous in Christ flourish or are fruitful like a palm tree as well as strong like a great cedar.  A world struggling with a global pandemic needs God’s people to rise up, not in judgment (Matthew 7:1-2), but in fruitful strength (Galatians 5:22-23; Joshua 1:9).  This is especially true for those of us advanced in age who have experience coming through crisis and struggle in our lives.  A world in panic needs the stability of God and can see it as God’s people act in faith, not fear.

During times of crisis, it is crucial for God’s people to draw closer to God to find peace and strength in intimacy with God through prayer, study, and meditation on God’s Word.  Romans 12:2 reminds us that being a Christian is a transformative life where one loses conformity to the world and gains conformity to God and His Word through diligent prayer, study, and meditation on the Word of God.  For those that still go to work each day because your work is deemed essential, I encourage you to draw close to God so you can be a lighthouse of God’s peace and strength as you work in a world full of panic.  For those sheltered and unable to get out, use the time to draw closer to God and reach out to others who may be panicked or fearful through social media, email, or the phone as a means of sharing God’s peace and strength with them. 

Jesus told his followers that they were the salt of the earth and a light to the world (Matthew 5:13-16).  A world in panic needs the preservative salt of God and His Word as well as light to illuminate the path through this pandemic.  I ask those reading this who have a relationship with Christ to step up and be the salt and light in these chaotic times.  For those reading this who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I invite you to pray with me and receive God’s forgiveness of your sins so you can begin to experience peace, a peace that can only come from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Inner peace is possible during times of crisis and separation from others due to social distancing.  This is because like Jesus whose closest friends abandoned Him, we are never alone for God the Father is always with us.  My prayer is that we would live lives of peace through Christ and be savory lighthouses in a dark and unsavory crisis.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

Betrayal, False Arrest, Abandonment

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Mark 14:43-52

Mark 14:49-50

Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” ⁵⁰ And they all left him and fled.

(ESV)

According to President Trump, we will remain under the recommendations of social distancing and not having social gatherings of 10 or more people through April 30.  President Trump also said there will be an increase in deaths in the United States over the next couple of weeks from the coronavirus.  (1)  While this is not good news, we must be appreciative of a leader who honestly tells people what to expect so they can make the necessary preparations.  My prayer is that people make smart preparations and not preparations based upon panic and fear. 

During this crisis, the practices of social distancing and not having large social gatherings make medical sense as they limit the potential spread of the virus.  In addition, we must also wash our hands and use hand sanitizer as well as keeping surfaces clean where the virus can live for an extended time.  However, lengthy isolation from others can have an emotional and spiritual effect on our lives.  In a study of prolonged isolation during prolonged space missions, researchers proposed two hypotheses for their study, either the crewmembers learn to align their self-concept with fellow crewmembers and work together as a team or there is no alignment creating tension.  (2)  The objective during any period of prolonged isolation must be alignment around some common goal, objective, or belief for people to work together with a minimum of tension.  For those in isolation due to the coronavirus, this common belief should be a belief in our loving Heavenly Father who sent us His Son, Jesus to die for our sins so our hearts can be filled with the Holy Spirit, giving us peace throughout isolation. 

Jesus’ betrayal, false arrest, and abandonment indicate he relates to our feeling all alone during a crisis, giving us hope as we turn to God who relates to our feelings of isolation.  While isolation because of the coronavirus does not involve betrayal, false arrest, of abandonment, the emotional feelings of isolation remain the same.  Jesus isolation involved,

1)      Betrayal by a trusted friend (Mark 14:43-44) – Judas, one of the twelve had been with Jesus during the three and one-half years of His ministry.  During that time, he would have witnessed the many miracles performed by Jesus as well as hearing the teachings of Jesus.  Since Judas had the moneybag for Jesus’ ministry, we can surmise his motivation may have been greed, and why he betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (John 13:21-30).  However, Judas's greed soon turned to regret as he realized those to whom he betrayed Jesus had intentions of having the Romans execute him (Matthew 27:3).  Even though Jesus knew Judas would betray him, betrayal by one that had been with him throughout his ministry and one Jesus trusted with the moneybag would have caused feelings of isolation due to betrayal

2)      False accusations by well-educated people who should have known who Jesus was (Mark 14:44-45) – The crowd accompanying Judas consisted of representatives from the chief priests, scribes, and elders.  This indicates that those behind the seizure of Jesus were well educated religious leaders who devoted their lives to the study of Scripture.  As such, they should have realized Jesus was Messiah.  His birth was unique for Jesus was born of a virgin in Bethlehem (Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2).  His lineage would be from Abraham, the tribe of Judah, and David as the heir to David’s throne (Genesis 12:3; 22:18; 49:10; 2 Samuel 7:12-13; Isaiah 9:7).  Jesus' teaching would be in parables (Isaiah 6:9-10; Psalm 78:2-4).  The highly educated religious scholars of Jesus' time should have recognized who he was but their eyes were blinded, another fulfillment of prophecy (Isaiah 6:10; John 12:40).  The questioning of one’s status by peers that should recognize their abilities leaves one isolated.  However, Jesus knew one thing the religious leaders did not recognize.  When Jesus referred to destroying the Temple and rebuilding it in three days, He was not referring to the building, but Himself.  The ultimate revelation of Jesus as the Messiah is his conquest of death through His resurrection. 

3)      Abandonment by His closest friends (Mark 14:50-52) – While isolation due to betrayal by trusted friends or false accusations by peers hurts, isolation due to abandonment by friends is perhaps the most hurtful.  The especially hurtful abandonment is Peter's denial, the ultimate in abandonment (Mark 14:66-72).  However, even those abandoned by Jesus, except for Judas who hanged himself, received forgiveness and became the leaders of the early church. 

Please join me in prayer for those affected by this crisis and for those forced to live in isolation from connection with their community due to social distancing.

Dear Lord Jesus, we come to you in faith knowing that you hear the prayers of your people.  While we are restricted in our face-to-face interactions with those in our communities, nothing can take us away from interaction with you in prayer.  I pray for those sick with the coronavirus and pray for their quick healing.  Give the healthcare workers who are treating the sick protection and wisdom and give those working on a vaccine and a cure for this disease special wisdom.  Also, be with our federal and local leaders and give them wisdom.  May they put politics aside and cry out to you for wisdom in this time of crisis.  Also, be with us as we practice social distancing and live under stay-at-home orders.  We thank you Lord for technology that allows us to connect virtually at a distance but also look forward to the time when we can return to connecting face-to-face.  May we not spiritually distance ourselves from you Lord but during this time draw closer to you.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

If you are reading this and have not prayed to accept Jesus as your savior, I invite you to pray with me now because Jesus is not subject to any stay-at-home order and stands at the door of your heart, knocking.  The question is will you pray and let him in? 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

May God bless and be with everyone reading this post. 

1. Re, Gregg. Trump says coronavirus 'peak in death rate' likely in 2 weeks, extends social-distancing guidelines through April 30. www.foxnews.com. [Online] Fox News, March 29, 2020. [Cited: March 30, 2020.] https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-coronavirus-briefing-death-rate-social-distancing.

2. Vadim I. Gushin, Vladimir A. Efimov, Tatiana M. Smirmova, & Nick Kanas. SUBJECT'S PERCEPTION OF THE CREW INTERACTION DYNAMICS UNDER PROLONGED ISOLATION. Researchgate.net. [Online] Aviation Space and Environmental Medicine, November 27-28, 1995. [Cited: March 30, 2020.] https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Vadim_Gushin/publication/13644049_Subject's_perception_of_the_crew_interaction_under_prolonged_isolation/links/5493f1d80cf25de74db50b66/Subjects-perception-of-the-crew-interaction-under-prolonged-isolation.pdf.